Shettima appeals to residents of Alau to return home

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has appealed to communities living around Alau Dam in Jere Local Government Area, who fled their homes for fear of attack by the Boko Haram insurgents to return home.
Shettima made the appeal on Thursday when he addressed members of the communities who took refuge at the permanent site of the Federal Training Centre in Dalori, near Maiduguri.
The governor, who was represented by
Malam Kaka Lawan, the Commissioner for Justice, said government had directed security agencies to beef up surveillance in the area to guarantee the peoples’ safety.
He advised members of the communities to cooperate with security agents by volunteering useful information on suspected Boko Haram activities.
He presented a cash donation of N1 million to the District Head of the area, Malam Bulama Mala, to facilitate the return of the communities to their homes.
The governor also donated relief materials worth millions of naira to the communities.
Items donated include 200 bags of rice, 2,000 pieces of mats, 100 bags of corn flour and 100 jerrycans of cooking oil.
Earlier, Mala had told the governor that the communities, comprising 21 villages, decided to flee their homes after an attack by suspected Boko Haram militants in neighbouring communities.
He said the attack led to the death of 19 persons and destruction of property.